Emergency crop surgery question

[Opiumbrella]

I have a hen I rescued. She was the sole survivor after being locked in a coop when the owners moved and left them behind. She was almost dead when she got to me. I didn’t think she would make it. I did tube refeeding, and she perked up, and started getting stronger. Poor thing is skin and bones. She had a lump in her crop, I assumed was stuff she ate while starving. I’ve been breaking it up, and she has passed a few chunks of plastic, etc. and as it broke up I can now feel a knotted chunk of blue hay rope in there. It has induced sour crop, which I’m treating, but I can’t get it out manually, and she can’t pass it. She is going to die if I don’t get it out.
I have all the supplies (medical grade surgical kit and sutures etc.) and am confident about the procedure itself. It’s the stitches I’m worried about. Has anyone here done a successful crop surgery? What type of knot did you use? And how long did you wait to allow them food? This is my sweet girl, an hour prior to this she wouldn’t even open her eyes, and couldn’t stand or move, was cold, and breathing really labored. She has fought so hard. And I want to save her. But can’t find a vet within 300 miles willing to do it. So I have no choice.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I personally have never done this before. But I'm going to tag some people that might know how to help you.
@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @TwoCrows

 

[Opiumbrella]

I personally have never done this before. But I'm going to tag some people that might know how to help you.
@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @TwoCrows

Thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh gosh, poor girl. Sounds like she was starving to death and ate whatever she could find.

I have never done crop surgery and in your case I think it's worth a shot. The surgery could kill her, so be prepared for that. However not doing it will probably kill her as well.

I do suggest having a vet do this however if you can't find one that will perform this surgery, there are many videos abd websites on line that may help you. I will attach a few links, you can go through to help you with this, read everything thoroughly before beginning....

https://www.greenwillowhomestead.com/blog/how-to-operate-on-your-chickens-impacted-crop

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/crop-surgery.1457400/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-do-impacted-crop-surgery.1154256/

Good luck with her, massive hugs to you and her, and keep us posted!!

 

[Sally PB]

Good luck to you and your girl. Please let us know how it goes.

Sending you positive waves and hugs.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Oh gosh, poor girl. Sounds like she was starving to death and ate whatever she could find.

I have never done crop surgery and in your case I think it's worth a shot. The surgery could kill her, so be prepared for that. However not doing it will probably kill her as well.

I do suggest having a vet do this however if you can't find one that will perform this surgery, there are many videos abd websites on line that may help you. I will attach a few links, you can go through to help you with this, read everything thoroughly before beginning....

https://www.greenwillowhomestead.com/blog/how-to-operate-on-your-chickens-impacted-crop

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/crop-surgery.1457400/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-do-impacted-crop-surgery.1154256/

Good luck with her, massive hugs to you and her, and keep us posted!!

I’ve called 80 different vets within 300 miles of me. The one that said their office could do it, the doctor who deals with chickens won’t be back from vacation till February. Even with me draining the fluid out of her crop, and treating with medistatin, the crap in there is causing the sour crop to persist, and she is going aspirate and or starve before then, because she can’t process her food, even though I’m feeding her via tube with bird formula. I just don’t know what else to do.

 

[TwoCrows]

@azygous

 

[RubelliteRose]

Let me see if I can find the link, but I think I remember someone with a detailed post about crop surgery...

 

[azygous]

Do you think you might want to try crop surgery yourself? I can walk you through it step by step. It's not complicated. You would need a competent helper to assist you. The only hard part is gluing the incision back together when you're finished cleaning the contents out of the crop. There is very little risk involved as the crop has no moving parts. The only risk is infection, but an oral antibiotic can help that.

 

[RubelliteRose]

I found the post by @azygous. She uses glue instead of sutures.

Supplies to assemble:

A helper
Vetericyn wound spray
Betadine or alcohol
Saline wound flush
Sharp, sterilized cutting tool such as a one-sided razor blade or Xacto knife.
Sterile gauze
Tube of super glue gel
Latex gloves
Bath towel
Scissors to cut away feathers from incision site

Surgery:
-Wrap hen securely in a bath towel confining wings and feet, but leaving the crop exposed. No anesthesia is required. No pain meds.
-Have your helper hold the hen on her back on a hard surface or table.
-Locate the spot where the lump is most concentrated.
-Trim her feathers away so just skin is exposed.
-Prep the site with Betadine or alcohol to remove external bacteria.

Make a one inch incision in the skin. Do not cut any deeper than the outer layer. This will expose the crop sack.

Next, cut a one-inch opening into the crop sack, slightly offset to the outer cut. This is very important. You should be able to see the obstruction, grass or maybe something else that shouldn't be in there.

Putting slight pressure on the crop, push the obstruction toward the opening and pull it out. Continue until you can't get anything else out of it.

Irrigate the inside of the crop with a generous amount of saline until the saline comes out clean.

Dry the incisions by patting with sterile gauze. First apply super glue to the edges of the inner incision. Stretch the incision and hold the tissue together until it bonds, about one minute. If it doesn't hold, apply more glue and continue to hold it until it bonds.

Glue the outer incision as you just did the inner one. Spray the incision liberally with Vetericyn. This promotes the tissue to grow together and heal. Do this twice a day for the next two days.

Feed only soft food such as yogurt, soft boiled egg, apple sauce, or gruel made from mixing water into her feed until it's soupy for the week following surgery. Give her a dose of Nutri-drench each day for five days plus continuing the miconazole for seven days.

This video is good but you need to sign in and prove you have the courage to watch it.

This is an older thread that might also help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/please-help-my-pet-hen-is-sick-need-help.1344273/

Oh good, she is here